


Those Times I Fell In Love With You

by Ceata88



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Alternate Universe, Echo has time powers, Jay gets drunk in one scene but it's nothing major, M/M, and a touch sad, it's rly gay, other characters are just mentioned or only there for like a scene, takes place during season six
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-18 03:13:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13673076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ceata88/pseuds/Ceata88
Summary: Nya was captured by Nadakhan, leaving Jay and Echo to come up with a plan to fix all of this. On the way to recruit a squad, Echo tries to tell a story to keep the lightning ninja up in the air, so to speak.AKA Echo recounts when he fell in love with Jay, the times he tried to confess, and the first time he kissed him.





	Those Times I Fell In Love With You

**Author's Note:**

> So if you need context this is [from an AU I have where Echo ended up as the master of time](http://ceata88.tumblr.com/post/170670231119/i-i-had-an-ideamore-i-mean-i-had-the) (There's some other ficlets in the tag too)
> 
> It's partially self indulgent but what are u gonna do
> 
> Happy Valentine's day?

    “We shouldn’t have left.”  
  
    Echo looked over at Jay, who up until now had been completely silent. While soup and a pep talk from his parents had pulled him out of his panic, it was obvious the guilt was settling back in. He sat perched on an old car, curled up with his chin against his knees. Echo thought about saying something but in the end there was nothing he could say.  
  
    “That’s what she asked us to do.”  
  
    “We shouldn’t have left her.” Jay said louder. “Not in the hands of him.”  
  
    The fight had gotten overwhelming. Their escape plan fell short when the travelers tea was spilled on the ground far to early. What was left behind only created enough room for two people.   
  
    “He will not harm her.” Echo tried to offer that reassurance. “It gives us time to fight back.”  
  
    “Time?” Jay screamed and slammed his hand on the car. “Yeah, that’s a question, isn’t it. Why don’t you just go back and start all of this over.”  
  
    Echo frowned. “That requires more energy than my system currently has.”  
  
    “Of course it does.” Jay rolled his eyes. “Figures.”  
  
    “Jay, I understand that you are upset but–”  
  
    “No you don’t!” Jay snapped his head over, static jumping across his shoulders. “How could you possibly know what this feels like?”   
  
    A handful of images flashed across Echo’s memory. “Do you really think this is the first time I’ve had to leave someone behind?”   
  
    Jay opened his mouth only to pause, his glare slowly fading.   
  
    Echo sighed, almost tired of the amount of times he had to speak about the future. At this point it wasn’t as if there would be any additional consequences, but he wished they could focus on what was going on in front of them.   
  
    “What state do you think you were in, Jay, when you asked me to travel back here? You were desperate, in prison, barely conscious after that many rounds of Scrap and Tap.”  
  
    Jay swallowed and looked away.   
  
    “I went there to save you. Nadakhan was planning to kill you, and yet you refused. You insisted I come here instead.” He crossed his arms and looked at the sky. Even from here he could see some of the outlines of the island Nadakhan had built. “So yes, I know very well what it feels like when a loved one insists you leave them behind.”   
  
    Jay swung himself around so his feet dangled in front of the car window. “But you did it anyway.”  
  
    “Because you trusted me to fix everything. Nya trusts you to do the same.” Echo looked back at him. “And while her plan does buy us some time, we don’t have much to waste either. So what should we do?”   
  
    Jay glanced around the junkyard, his eyebrows in the same spot they always were when he was deep in thought.   
  
    “We need some help.” Jay hopped off the car. “And I might know a few people who can. Can you summon an elemental dragon?”   
  
    “I could, but...” Echo studied his power bar. “It would not assist in me trying to recover enough energy for a fight later.”   
  
    “Well I better do my best.” Jay cracked his knuckles. “We have some ground to cover.”   
  
    It took a handful of tries, but with some additional reassurance Jay managed to form the dragon. He helped Echo climb up before it took off, headed straight for Ninjago city.   
  
    For now he watched the landscape, trying to pick out all the small differences from how it looked in the future. Of course it all depended on what kind of future he ended up in. Some caused far more changes than others.   
  
    “So,” Jay spoke up. “They were going to kill me?”   
  
    Echo looked over but Jay was still staring straight ahead. “Yes.”   
  
    “But you still left.”  
  
    “That is what you asked.”  
  
    Jay sighed, his grip on the reigns going slack. “I just don’t know if I could do that I mean... you know what happened to Zane right?”  
  
    “Not the details, but yes.”   
  
    “It just doesn’t feel right, running away when someone you care about is in danger.”   
  
    Echo didn’t have a response to that. Jay wasn’t wrong, it didn’t feel right. Even at this point he kept running scenarios of all the ways he could have helped Jay escape before traveling back.   
  
    “Hey uh, can I ask you something?”  
  
    “I don’t think you have stopped asking me questions since we met.”  
  
    “Yeah fine, sorry,” Jay ruffled his own hair. “It’s just... you’re uh... in love with me right?”   
  
    He wondered if he should be nervous but he just laughed. “Haven’t we had this conversation?”  
  
    “I’m still just trying to figure out when you figured that out. And you say I’m with Nya sometimes, right? So, what happens to you?”  
  
    “Nothing happens to me, we are simply not in a romantic relationship.”   
  
    Jay fiddled with the reigns. “Doesn’t that bother you?”  
  
    “No,” Echo lied. “You are most often still happy and safe, so it doesn’t matter.”   
  
    “Huh, guess that makes you more mature than me.”   
  
    “I think,” Echo squeezed his shoulder. “Given the time to sort out your own feelings, you would eventually feel the same toward Nya.”  
  
    “We’ll never know if we can’t get her out of this.” Jay urged the dragon to fly a little faster.   
  
    There was silence for a while, and Echo could feel Jay going tense under his grip.  
  
    He let go. “Would you like for me to tell you?”  
  
    “Tell me what?”  
  
    “Why I was in love with you, and how I found out. Perhaps it would offer a distraction until we reach our destination.”   
  
    “Guess it’ll keep me from going in circles,” Jay sighed. “Go for it.”   
  


* * *

  
    The first time Echo noticed he felt anything towards Jay was over something so simple.   
  
    It was a month after ending up in the future. After two minor future shifts and a lot of tinkering he was finally at a point where he could not only function but access his elemental abilities as well. Not that they were doing anything profound when it happened.   
  
    They were digging through trash.  
  
    Jay’s home and workshop were in his parents old junkyard. While he had replaced the trailer with a proper sized home and a basement twice the size there were still piles of scrap metal and who knew what else littering the property. During their down time Jay would always rummage through it. Eventually Echo began to help.   
  
    Jay was about twenty feet away when he shouted. Echo spun around, concerned something had gone wrong, only to see Jay jump in the air with a metallic rectangle in his hands.  
  
    “Holy crap.” Jay squeaked. “A collector edition Fritz Donnegan lunchbox? How long has _this_ been in here?”  
  
    Echo wandered over, trying to get a closer look at the object. While it was covered in dirt and some of the paint had chipped away the figure of a man piloting a rocket was still visible.  
  
    “Who?” Echo frowned as he tried to find the name in his memory.  
  
    Jay gasped, clutching the lunchbox to his chest. “You don’t know? Gosh, no, of course you don’t I never showed you. We should have a movie marathon tonight.”   
  
    “It is a film?”  
  
    “Well, a whole comic series really.” Jay began to prattle on. “It’s kind of simple and a bit cliche but it’s just so cool. There’s all these wild space fights, cool aliens.” He squeaked and jumped again. “What’s really wild is when I found out the guy who stars as him in the movies is my birth father. I never knew him but, somehow I just ended up more attached to it.”   
  
    Jay’s smile turned sad as he tried to wipe some of the dirt away. Echo watched, studied the way his fingers traced the letters. Bit by bit the color became more visible.   
  
    He knew he was feeling something. But he had no way of knowing what it was.   
  
    “Come on,” Jay announced. “Let’s start cleaning this up and I’ll go put on the movies. I think you’ll like them.”   
  
    Echo didn’t say anything as he followed after, still trying to place the feeling.   
  
\---------------  
  
    The second time left him breathless, or at least it would have if he had lungs.   
  
    Sometimes using time powers was tricky. Sometimes it resulted in Echo overloading himself. Sometimes that resulted in blowing a few wires or even an air system.   
  
    His entire right arm was out of commission, and it was a miracle it was still attached with how much damage the wires in his shoulder did. The metal around the joint was completely scorched. Jay asked him a dozen times if it hurt, but Echo kept lying and said it didn’t. It was just easier to pretend he didn’t feel anything.  
  
    He could always keep himself from screaming after all.   
  
    So there they were, three hours into a repair. By now Jay had redone all the wiring in his shoulder but still had to work on his arm that was sitting on a completely different table. A part of him wanted to tell Jay to just leave it for later. Not like he hadn’t gone armless before.   
  
    But instead he found himself staring again, watching Jay’s fingers work carefully around the wires. He never worked with gloves, didn’t have to since his abilities protected him from any kind of shock. However that always resulted in dozens of scrapes and chips to his fingernails.   
  
    Echo wanted to hold his hand so bad.  
  
    He blinked, trying to place where that thought had come from and why. He was aware of that feeling again in his chest, buzzing around and driving him mad. What did it even mean?  
  
    “Okay, that should do it.” Jay pushed himself over on his swivel chair. “Let’s test it out.”  
  
    With the upgrades Jay had given him it at least made it easier to reattach his limbs. Everything auto connected when it was held close enough. Echo monitored his systems as everything reconnected. When it all went green he tried flexing his fingers.  
  
    Only to notice Jay was still holding onto his hand. The lightning ninja wasn’t paying much attention, still glancing over Echo’s shoulder to make sure it was connecting properly.   
  
    This was odd. Jay had held onto his hand dozens of times before during work. Why was it all of a sudden Echo could do nothing but stare?  
  
    “Everything good? You’re quiet.” Jay tapped him.  
  
    Echo glanced up. “I, ah, yes s-sorry.”  
  
    “You sure? You’re stuttering. Did something short out?” Jay tightened his grip as he gently twisted Echo’s arm.   
  
    He kept hesitating to speak up. If everything was fine, would Jay let go?   
  
    “It was still reconnecting.” He lied and forced his voice to level out. “I’m alright.”   
  
    “Okay, if you say so.” Jay let go. “You wanna join me for grocery shopping?”   
  
    He hopped out of the chair without a second thought. “Of course.”  
  
    “Then grab a shirt, I’ll meet you outside.”  
  
\-------------------  
  
    The first time Echo knew what that feeling was he had no idea what to do.  
  
    He only figured it out thanks to Zane. After all, he needed answers. He couldn’t place what this feeling was or what caused it. It would always come up at the strangest times. When Jay would quote his favorite movies. When he’d laugh way too hard at his own puns. That smug look he always had when he bested Lloyd at a video game.   
  
    But Echo always found himself the most lost whenever Jay would work. It was amazing how expressive someone could be when they focused. Sometimes he would stick out his tongue, other times he would glare, and on rare moments he would whistle or smile.   
  
    By now Echo was certain he could watch Jay’s hands work for hours.  
  
    There must be something wrong with him. A glitch, perhaps? But he didn’t want to tell any of this to Jay for fear of making him uncomfortable.   
  
    So he asked Zane, forcing himself to discuss as many details as he could.   
  
    In the end Zane chuckled. “Echo, there is nothing wrong with you.”  
  
    “That cannot be right. This cannot be normal.”  
  
    “But it is,” Zane tilted his head. “When you’re in love that is.”   
  
    Love?  
  
    He was in love?   
  
    “That... still cannot be right. I’m a nindroid and he–”  
  
    “Have you forgotten that Cole and I have been dating for six years?” Zane crossed his arms.   
  
    Echo tried to come up with an excuse. That it wasn’t the same. That Zane’s programming was different.   
  
    In the end there was nothing he could say. Zane was right.   
  
    Echo was in love.   
  
    And Jay couldn’t love him back.   
  
\-----------------  
  
    The first time Echo confessed, well, he could have timed it better.  
  
    Not that he knew that at the time. The future he’d woken up to was much different than before. Nothing drastic, at least, nothing bleak going on outside or still dealing with an enemy they had to fight.  
  
    But Cole was gone. Apparently had been gone for ten years. Echo didn’t want to ask for details for fear of having to explain why he didn’t know. As soon as he found out, he stuck to quickly picking things up in the background.   
  
    This future wasn’t negative, but it was nowhere near as bright as he was used to. Zane still had Pixal, but he was so much quieter. Kai seemed far more on edge. And Jay often drowned himself in his work. There were a handful of days Echo had to remind him to go upstairs to get something to eat.   
  
    But it wasn’t always bleak. Jay would often ask him to join him for an outing. Supply runs, the grocery store, visiting the other ninjas, whatever it was. Echo always tagged along because, well, he’d follow Jay anywhere.   
  
    It more or less slipped out. Or rather, he knew what he was saying, but couldn’t seem to make himself stop.   
  
    They were outside, having just returned from getting some parts so Jay could finish repairing his bike.   
  
    Echo was watching his hands again, which by now were smeared in oil no matter how many times he wiped them off with a nearby rag. Neither of them were talking. Echo wasn’t sure he wanted to distract him. He just sat on the nearby junk pile and watched.   
  
    He was never sure if it was because he couldn’t deal with the silence. Or if it was because there was something actually enchanting about the way Jay would brush hair away from his face with the bottom of his palm.   
  
    “Jay,” he spoke up when Jay paused his tinkering.   
  
    “Yeah?”  
  
    “I love you.”   
  
    He just said it. No explanation. No add on. He figured it would be better to let Jay respond however he wanted to.   
  
    The lightning ninja turned to look at him, eyes wide and expression blank. Echo did his best not to flinch away.   
  
    “What?”   
  
    “I love you.” Echo repeated, praying this didn’t all blow up in his face.   
  
    “Like... as a friend?”  
  
    “No.”  
  
    “Oh.”   
  
    He had to look down, his nervousness getting the better of him as he fiddled with one of his fingers. “You do not have to respond. Or feel the same way I just... I figured you should know. It doesn’t make sense to keep it a secret does it? Then again I don’t really know how any of this works. Perhaps I... I...”   
  
    “Echo.”  
  
    Only now did he notice Jay standing in front of him. He would have flinched if the lightning ninja’s gaze wasn’t so gentle.   
  
    “I’m not upset.” Jay tried to smile but it faltered. “But uh, I don’t really know what to say either.”  
  
    Something hurt. Echo ran an analysis to see what was wrong but nothing came up on his screen. “You do not need to say anything, as I said earlier. I understand.”   
  
    “Echo, it’s not that I don’t care or anything.”  
  
    “I know you do.” The nindroid managed to smile as he stood up. “That is why you are struggling with words now. I think, for now, I will go start on dinner. You should finish your work.”   
  
    He began to walk away only for Jay to grab his arm. The oil from his hand smeared onto his sleeve, and Echo kept his gaze fixed on that instead of the pity he knew was in Jay’s eyes.   
  
    “I’m sorry.” Jay said.  
  
    Echo smiled again. “You have nothing the apologize for.” Then he pulled himself away and headed indoors. He went to his room to change his shirt first, not wanting to contaminate any of the food.   
  
    The moment he tossed the shirt in the laundry he glanced over at the bathroom mirror. His eyes scanned his shoulders down to the panel in the side of his chest. The pain from earlier kept getting worse and worse. He stepped over to the mirror as he opened the panel, trying to see if something was wrong with his power source. The four colors that swirled around in his core glowed like they always did. His diagnostics still didn’t read anything.   
  
    But it hurt.   
  
    He gripped the edge of the sink as his head dropped, staring at the drain.   
  
    For the first time since he gained his consciousness he cursed his father.   
  
    How dare he give him the ability to feel this much without giving him the ability to cry.   
  
\------------------  
  
    The second time Echo confessed was also an accident.   
  
    In the sense that he never planned on bringing it up again. As far as he was concerned he didn’t have a chance. It was a miracle that when the future reset itself, Jay didn’t even remember the previous conversation. Echo considered, for a moment, trying again, but he wasn’t sure he could deal with the pain that followed after.  
  
    He and Jay were friends. They were close. The lightning ninja trusted him with his life. That was enough, wasn’t it?   
  
    But after a few more swaps he found himself in another future where Jay and Nya were on a friend status. It was late at night. Jay had probably had one too many beers as the pair of them sat on the roof of his house, looking at the stars.   
  
    “That’s always been the plus of living out here.” Jay finished off his latest bottle. “Turn off the lights and you can see so many stars.”   
  
    They were rather stunning. Echo’s eyes mapped out constellations wherever he looked. Eventually he turned all of the data off, trying to make his own shapes.   
  
    He was a bit startled when Jay leaned on him, possibly sleepy. It was almost midnight after all.   
  
    “Why are you still here?” The lightning ninja mumbled.   
  
    “What do you mean?”  
  
    “I mean, I know I fix you up and stuff but you don’t have to live here. You could go wherever you want. Or, hell, _whenever_ you want. You can time travel.”   
  
    “Not easily.”   
  
    “But still. Why stay here?”   
  
    It was probably risky to take Jay’s hand, but Echo still did. “Because I love you.”   
  
    Jay sat up, eyes wide, but he didn’t pull away. “What? Really?”  
  
    “Yes.”   
  
    “Huh, wow.” Jay’s cheeks were going red, but it was possibly due to the alcohol. “Didn’t think I’d ever hear someone say that to me again.”   
  
    “I love you.” Echo repeated.   
  
    Jay laughed a bit, a goofy grin on his face. “Um, Echo?”  
  
    “Yes?”  
  
    “Can you try telling me this when I’m sober? I might just end up forgetting in the morning.”  
  
    Echo let go of Jay’s hand. “Perhaps that would be better.”   
  
    “Huh? What does that mean?”   
  
    He couldn’t explain it. Even if Jay might just forget all of it later on. “Knowing might just make things awkward.”   
  
    “Look,” Jay touched his shoulder and made Echo look at him. “I know we should talk about this when I’m sober, which is why I’m asking you to, but like, I’m pretty sure I like the idea of being with you.”  
  
    Echo blinked. “Really?”  
  
    “Yeah. Tell me I said that in the morning.” Jay paused and narrowed his eyes. Then suddenly he covered his mouth before he dashed for the other end of the roof.   
  
    Echo sighed as his friend threw up. He really needed to start limiting how much alcohol Jay bought in the futures he actually drank it. For now he just made his way to the ladder to go and get some water.   
  


\------------------

  
    The first time Echo kissed Jay wasn’t until much later.   
  
    He knew it was inevitable. In the midst of trying to figure out how Jay felt, how they wanted to define their relationship, the future changed again.   
  
    It was the first time a change hit him as hard as it did. He went to sleep while cuddled up next to Jay when they were watching a movie. He woke up in his room, only to run downstairs and run into Nya. She smiled at him, like it was all normal as she tinkered with their handmade toaster.  
  
    “Broke down again,” she joked. “Better fix it before Jay wakes up.”   
  
    Echo couldn’t say anything. He just left the building and didn’t come back until that afternoon. Jay was fretting over him, asking what happened. He made up a lie, did his best to keep up a cheerful facade, but he knew it was all sub-par. Nya and Jay kept giving him worried glances.   
  
    He couldn’t possibly explain it to them. He wouldn’t.   
  
    Echo could only blame himself. He knew the future would change again. It always did.   
  
    But that didn’t make it hurt any less.  
  
    He did his best to move on. Take it all in stride. Eventually things changed again, and again, and again. To a point he could almost predict the state things would be in when he woke up.  
  
    Until one caught him off guard.   
  
    Nya was no longer there. Echo made Jay some breakfast that morning instead, pulling out some pre-made cinnamon roll dough and putting them in the oven.   
  
    The smell drew Jay out of bed, wandering down the stairs still in his sleep shirt and sweat pants. His hair was sticking up at dozens of angles.   
  
    “Aw, you’re making breakfast?”  
  
    Echo shrugged. “I had time.”   
  
    “You’re always too nice.” Jay suddenly pressed against his back, wrapping his arms around Echo’s middle.  
  
    He froze. That was new.   
  
    He waited for it to be quick, for Jay to pat him on the arm and wander to the coffee machine. Instead he lingered, even hugged tighter as his cheek pressed against Echo’s shoulder.   
  
    Jay hummed. “Your fans suddenly got way louder.”   
  
    “Ah, you are just... very affectionate this morning.” He tried.   
  
    “Always am when I’m sleepy, you know that.” Jay pulled back a bit. “And when my boyfriend treats me to cinnamon rolls.”   
  
    Jay kissed Echo on the cheek before he finally let go. The nindroid stood there, stunned, staring into the oven.   
  
    Boyfriend?  
  
    His gaze snapped over to Jay. The lightning ninja was preoccupied with the cappuccino machine, putting his mug in place before turning it on. He yawned, hand running through his hair and managing to make it even messier.   
  
    Echo crossed the kitchen in half a second, fast enough that it startled Jay who seemed plenty awake by now.   
  
    “Everything okay?” Jay glanced over him.   
  
    “Can I kiss you?” Echo could feel his systems whirring now. Like he had to move. Like he had to do something before it all changed again.   
  
    Jay blinked and shrugged. “I mean, yeah, you don’t exactly have to ask like that you know.”   
  
    “W-wouldn’t it be rude to do it without warning?”  
  
    Jay snorted and laughed. He pushed himself off the counter, reaching out as he stepped forward.   
  
    “You’re unbelievable cute.” Jay’s fingers slid over the back of his neck. The sensation by itself was enough to make Echo squeak, but then he noticed the faint trail of static. The electricity darted through his wires and he got a warning on his screen that his temperature was beginning to climb.   
  
    It was forgotten the moment Jay kissed him. He could see the sparks behind his eyes and leaned into it with everything he had.   
  
    He knew the future would change again. That none of this would last as long as he was here. And in the end that just made him savor it even more.   
  


* * *

  
    “Wait, hang on,” Jay interrupted. “How many times did you have to confess?”  
  
    Echo shrugged. “I didn’t keep a counter, but many times.”   
  
    “Doesn’t that bother you? Everything changing?”   
  
    “There is nothing I can do about it.”  
  
    “You could leave,” Jay looked back at him. “You could come back to the timeline you belong in.”   
  
    Echo tried to smile. “I do not think I belong anywhere, Jay. At least in the future, as much as it changes, people still know who I am.”   
  
    Jay didn’t seem satisfied with that answer but looked ahead again. By now they were over the city and the dragon began to fly lower and lower.   
  
    “All that,” Jay muttered. “You had to put up with all of that and you still liked me?”   
  
    “I have seen many versions of you Jay, and I have loved every single one.”   
  
    The statement must have startled him bad. Suddenly the dragon vanished out from under them. Jay screamed as the pair of them plummeted to the ground. No matter what he tried he couldn’t seem to re-summon his dragon.   
  
    Echo grabbed his hand and pulled him close before reaching toward the ground. As it drew even closer Jay screamed even louder, hiding his face in Echo’s shoulder. The nindroid just focused, firing out a bubble to slow down time.   
  
    Their plummet screeched down to crawl. The impact to the ground still made them bounce, but most of the damage was gone.   
  
    The bubble vanished. Jay gasped for air as he felt around, pushing himself up. A couple of people on the sidewalk were giving them a strange look.  
  
    “Th-thanks,” he sputtered out as he stood. His legs were shaking.   
  
    “I did not mean to startle you.” Echo followed him up, about to fix Jay’s hair out of habit.   
  
    “No, I... no.” Jay shook his head. “Let’s worry about it another time. We need to go find Skylor.”   
  
    “Oh!” Echo eagerly followed. “It will be nice to see her again.”   
  
    “You know her, huh?”   
  
    “She’s delightful.”   
  
    “Well that’s one way of putting it.” Jay took a deep breath and began to walk faster. “Come on, I’ll race you there.”   
  
    Echo just snickered before his hands flashed green warping him ahead.  
  
    “And no cheap powers.” Jay glared as he dashed to catch up.   
  
    Echo laughed louder and took off as well. It probably wasn’t wise to stay ahead. He had no idea where they were going.   
  
    But that didn’t matter. He wasn’t about to let Jay win that easily.


End file.
